Friday Morning’s Keynote Speaker
Linda Gambrell
Linda Gambrell is the Distinguished Professor of Education in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at
Clemson University, where she teaches literacy courses. Dr. Gambrell has served as the president of three
leading professional organizations: the International Reading Association, the National Reading Conference,
and the College Reading Association. She will be speaking about the Response to Intervention. Her breakout
sessions will focus on strategies for helping struggling readers. She is being sponsored by Zaner‐Bloser.
Author’s Luncheon, Friday, November 20
Megan McDonald
Megan McDonald has written and published 25 books for children. Pretending to be a pencil
sharpener was her first experience as a writer. She was 10 years old when she wrote the story for
her school newspaper. Megan has since written and published twenty‐five books for children,
including the hilarious Judy Moody adventures, which are largely inspired by her childhood
memories of growing up with four older sisters. Before Megan became a writer, she worked in
museums, libraries and bookstores. She has also made a living as a storyteller and a park ranger.
Megan McDonald now lives with her husband in Sebastopol, California.
Friday Afternoon’s Keynote Speaker
Anita Archer
Dr. Anita Archer is a talented author and beloved teacher of teachers. She is the recipient of eight
outstanding educator awards, has taught elementary and middle school students and has been a
faculty member at San Diego State University, the University of Washington, and the University of
Oregon. She currently serves as an educational consultant to school districts on effective
instruction, classroom management, language arts instruction, and study skills instruction. She is a
nationally known presenter and has authored training and curriculum materials, chapters, and
books.
Presentation Materials
- Explicit Instruction: An Investment with Guaranteed Returns (PowerPoint)
- Explicit Instruction: An Investment with Guaranteed Returns (Adobe Acrobat)
- Video for Vocabulary Instruction (A site with several explicit instruction videos.)
- Written Expression for Struggling Readers (PowerPoint)
- Written Expression for Struggling Readers (Adobe Acrobat)
- Written Expression Examples (Adobe Acrobat)
- Written Expression Examples (Microsoft Word)
Saturday's Keynote Speaker
Ray Reutzel
Dr. D. Ray Reutzel is the Emma Eccles Jones Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair of Early
Childhood Education at Utah State University. He has received countless awards for his
contributions to the literacy profession. Ray has served as one of the editors of the Reading
Teacher. He has written several journal articles and books as well including The Essentials for
Teaching Children to Read, Teaching Children to Read: The Teacher Makes the Difference, and Strategies for Reading Assessment and Instruction: Helping Every Child Succeed. He is currently on
the Board of Directors for the International Reading Association. We are fortunate to have this
outstanding researcher right here in our own backyard!
Presentation Materials
Slide Show (PowerPoint)
Author’s Luncheon, Saturday, November 21st
Jessica Day George
Jessica Day George earned a BA in Humanities and Comparative Literature from Brigham Young
University, where she enjoyed classes in pottery and Old Norse, and dutifully forced herself to take
Algebra and Biology! Originally from Idaho, she now resides in Salt Lake City with her husband and
their young son. The real story is that all she ever really wanted to do was to read and write books!
And write she does…her most recent book, Dragon Spear, completes the Dragon Slippers Trilogy (Dragon Slippers and Dragon Flight are the other two in the series.) She has also written Princess of
the Midnight Ball and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow.
